Life-boat.



No. 642,622. Patented Feb. 6, |900. w. P.'MuL| & B. H. vAN DEN BERG.

LIFE BOAT. (Application led Dec. 5, 189B.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

$12..; MAW ffm* No. 642,622. Patented Feb. 6, |900.

w. P. MuLl a. B. H. VAN m-:N BERG'.

LIFE BOAT.

' (Application mednae. 5, 189s.) (No liodeL 3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

TH: Noam: versus co, FnoYoLITNOJWASwNGTON. n. c.

No. 642,622. Patented renfe, 1900. w. P. MuLlE a s. H. vAN manV Bene.

lLIF E BOAT.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Tm: mams ums an, wow-Luna.. wAsmNm-on. q. L.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLEM PETRUS MULIE, OF LEYDEN, NETHERLANDS, AND BENJAMIN HYMANS VAN DENBERG, OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM.

LIFE-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 642,622, datedFebruary 6, 1900.

Application filed December 5, 1898. Serial No. 698,350. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLEM PETRUS MULI, a subject of Her Majesty theQueen of Holland, residing at Leyden, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands,and BENJAMIN HY- MANs vAN DEN BERG, a subject of His Majesty the King ofBelgium, residing at Antwerp, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented anew and useful Life-Boat, (for which we have obtained provisionalprotection in Great Britain, No. 23,314, bearing date November 5, 1898,while a patent has also been applied for in Germany, dated November 8,1898, and in France, Serial No. 270,634, dated November 8, 1898,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved life-boat for sea-goingvessels and the like, which boat is absolutely secured againstupsetting, but which when in the folded condition does not take up moreroom than an ordinary ships boat.

Ships boats of the usual kind, in which the passengers in case ofshipwreck endeavor to save their lives, lose much of their value becausein the case of storms and rough sea the danger of upsetting is verygreat, and this also often occurs when in the panic the passengers pressto one side of the boat. Consequently these boats deserve the name oflifeboats only partially,because their safety is not by any meansassured.

The object of the present invention consists of a boat especially forsea-going ships, which in reality deserves the name of a lifeboat,because it not only possesses all the advantages which the present boatspossess, but, in addition to this, it possesses an arrangement wherebythe upsetting or sinking is practically made impossible, even under themost unfavorable circumstances. This arrangement, which forms thesubject of the present application for a patent, is carried in theinside of the boat while the same is out of use, and thereby thedimensions of a boat of this kind are rendered no greater than those ofan ordinary ships boat. In case of into compartments by water-tightdivisions. These cylinders possess a great buoyancy and are fixed tolong supports, which eect the connection with the boat. These floatingoutriggers, connected by a long leverage, form a support which resiststhe capsizin g of the boat.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in connectionwith a boat which itself is devised to comply with the requirementsWhich may be made in the case of a life-boat.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, atransverse section; Fig. 3, a plan view, and Figs. 4 to 6 variousdetails on a larger scale. Fig. 7 shows, on an enlarged scale, thelocking mechanism securing the supports of the iioat to the side of theboat.

The boat R is provided in the well-known manner with a double bottom,and the intermediate space is filled with water-tight cylinders M. Overthis double bottom,at each side,

are placed the lockers K, which act at the V same time as seat-s and aswater-tight compartments for containing tools and food. The cisterns Hare .Iilled with oil, whichcan be discharged through the tubes I andserve in case of need to render the water smooth in the neighborhood ofthe boat. In the bottom of the boat are placed the tubes G, Figs. 2, 3,

and 6, through which any water coming onboard can flow out and which areprovided with back-pressure valves to prevent any water flowing in fromthe outside. Three strong bars D are secured at each side of the boat,-which terminate at the gunwale in hinges. Upon these hinges the supportsB revolve, which supports B connect the hollow cylinders A with the boatby aid of the connectingbars S, which serve to hold the cylinders A intheir placeand to strengthen the aforesaid bars B. The cylindricalhollow bodies A are divided by means of water-tight partitions intocompartments, and they terminate in front and behind in pointed ends.The supports VB are connected by means of the tierods F.

N indicates a handle for the purpose o f bringing the cylinders inboard.In Figs. 2 and 3 the position of the cylinders A when the boat is out ofuse is indicated by dotted Ioo of the boat as a life-boat, the cylindersAare lturned overboard into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3and the supports B locked at E. The boat can then be lowered into thewater. The hollow water-tight cylinders A possess a very great buoyancy,which, being placed on the long leverage of the supports Il, gives astability which renders the capsizing of the boat almost impossible.

boat sinking is also almost excluded. The division of the cylinders intowater-tight com partments causes in the case of an injury that the sameis limited to the compartment actually damaged and prevents the waterpassing into the remainder of the cylinder. The tapering form in frontand behind aids the progress of the boat in thewater through thediminished resistance. The bars F and C serve also as hand-rails-thebars F for the support of persons who may have fallen into downward andpasses through a horizontal slot at the lower end of the supports. Saidbolt is revolved a quarter-turn, which releases the support. The bolt Eis secured inside the boat by means of the Cotter-pin e.

Owingto its very great buoyancy the danger of the The bolt can, however,be secured by means of a wedge or the like in order to connect thesupport at E rmly with the rails D or the sides of the boat, or thebolting device mayact automatically by means of a spring-catch or thelike locking the end of the bolt when inserted in the aperture of thebar D. At the front of the boat there is a device arranged for therower, for which purpose the rowlocks q are attached.

Q, Fig. 5, is au adjustable row-lock which can be placed at anyconvenient point, so that the boat may be steered also from the interiorthereof, and the oars can reach over the cylinders A in case of need.

What we claim isl. In a life-boat, hollow buoyant cylinders parallel tothe sides `of the boat, horizontal rails on the gunwales of said boat,supporting-arms pivoted on said rails and rigidly attached to saidcylinders, `locking devices for said arms on the outside of the boat,and a lever-handle operated from the interior of the boat for raisingthe said cylinders and brin ging them into the interior ot' the boat.

2. In a life-boat, in combination adjustable iloats A, supporting-bars Dsecured to the boat, horizontal rails C supported by said bars, duplexconnecting-bars B attached to the floats, and pivoted at their upperinward ends to the rail C, transverse supports S between the bars B, ahandle N, and outer locking devices E engaging with the lower inwardends of the bars B.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLEM PETRUS MULI. BENJAMIN IIYMANS VAN DEN BERG. Witnesses:

A. C. LIsToE, FLORENCE FLOWER.

